Korea, 2006: Aachi and Ssipak

Aachi and Ssipak are two thieves who survive by stealing the addictive Juicy Bars in the strange world of **** City, where all energy comes from human excrement.

A film unlike any other, Aachi and Ssipak is as bizarre as it is hilarious. You wonít understand whatís always going on, but it is superbly entertaining for animation and action fans alike. Itís hard to describe this movie, but I suppose the best way would be to call it something like a drug-fueled animated music video thatís been stretched into a full-length feature film. Combining impressive CGI, painted landscapes, and 2D animation, the movie is a fantastic visual treat. The characters are well designed and every movement is full of energy. The art style might be a little hard to digest for fans of more conventional cartoons, but once you get past that, everything moves and breathes beautifully. The score is a pretty typical mix of rock and techno tracks, with the one exception being the main theme song, which is an upbeat head-bopper that sticks around long after the credits close.

The story is actually fairly simple when you look at it, itís only the details and the completely insane premise that make is hard to follow. There are a lot of jumps of logic to get to the next point, and a number of times where you just have to throw your hands up and go with it. Things donít always make sense, but donít let that get in the way of enjoying yourself. Itís not particularly clever or witty in its dialogue, but the physical comedy more than makes up for it. The characters are all quirky and distinctive, and while they all seem pretty stereotypical, itís a pretty standard lampooning of the social hierarchy.

The real selling point of this film is the ludicrous level of energy it brings to the screen. The action moves at breakneck speed, and it can be difficult to keep up if youíre not prepared for it. The fact that itís a cartoon helps ease the impossibility of it all, and lets the characters come off as believably superhuman. This movie is most definitely not a family-friendly piece of cinema, even if the characters look like it. Blood and bullets fly by the bucketful onscreen, and itís not too short on nudity either. Things are violently brutal, which makes up half the fun of watching the little Smurf druggies get their heads blown off.

Itís not widely known, but I can definitely recommend that you find a copy of this strange little film. The violence is hilarious, the comedy is crude, and the world it all takes place in makes no sense at all. With that said, Aachi and Ssipak is an incredible amount of fun to watch, and makes for a great viewing with friends, popcorn, and drinks all around.